[Dr.Bobby]

There are two things that go into med decisions form the docs perspective. Speed and efficacy. How fast does it begin to work, and how effective is it given the presenting symptoms. The goal being the fastest way to alleviate most of the symptoms. Makes sense.

Invega (or other anti psychotics) are used with Bi Polar because they target the psychotic component of Bi Polar (manic phase), AND they work much more quickly than lithium. They also work differently in the body, on a cellular level, but that's another story.

Zyprexa is known for weight gain, but at the time it was introduced, it was seen as an improvement over it's predecessors b/c of how quickly it worked and how more thoroughly it targeted the more aggressive psychotic symptoms.

Invega is a newer anti psychotic, and with each new drug, they tweak it..it's evolution.. to maximize beneficial effects x speed to target - side effects. So, if you didn't do well on Zyprexa, etc., Invega might be a good choice.

It takes a while sometimes to find the right combo of meds, but with time and patience it's worth it...keep talking to your doc and help him/her find the right ones for you.